Threshold-illuminator.



lPodrial is lf: "i

CHARLES R. MOORE, or NEW YORKN., Y., AssIcNOR, :er 'MEsnRAssIsNMnivPs,'Po ELEVATOR SUPPLY a REPAIR coiviriamr-, A CORPORATION or Immers.

THRESHOL DILLUMINATOR.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it'known that l, CHARLES E. Moons, a citizen' of the United States, and a resivdent of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county andState'ofNew York, have invented a new and lmproved' rl`hrcshold-llluminator, of which thev following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in passenger conveyances such, for instance, as elevators in buildings, railway cars yor the like, and the invention contemplates certain features of advantage in thev nature of improvements over the `invention disclosedin Letters Patent of the United States, No. 885,942, issued to me on April as, 190s.

vAmong the objects ofthe present invention is to improve the constructionand operation ofthe illuminator'casmg whereby the fsame is adapted to occupy a minimum 1l is a vertical sectional view of one of the.

amount of room and has lighting facilities for the particular'purposes of the invention superior to any device previously proposed and which also is more reliable.

Another object of this invention is to improve the means for controlling the-time at which the light becomeseifective with re'- spect to the controlling mechanism of the` moving vehicle.

The .invention also. contemplates improved features of construction in various details hereinafter more fully set forth.

The foregoing and other objects of the inventionwill hereinafter be more fullydev i scribed and claimed and illustrated in the' drawings forming a part of this specification in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the viewsi.

such as when the controlling lever not shown in this view is in running position; Fig.

switches taken on the line of Fig. 2;

Specilcation o f Letters Patent.

' rant.

. At 10 I show a car having la doorway 11 and a threshold 1 2., Said 'doorway may 85 Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. '6 is a diagram of the electric connections; Fig. .7 iS afront velevation of the illuminator casing; 8 is a vertical section on theline 8-8 of Flg. no

7 and Fig.-9 is a transverse section of the same on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

The several parts yof the device may be made o f any suitable materials, and the relative sizes and proportions, as well as these general design of the mechanism, may be varied to a 'considerable extent without de- 'onelectric railway cars .or other forms of passenger vehicles, and hence while l'may ttt for convenience of expression use the terms elevator or .elevator car, such terms are to be interpreted broadly lenough to cover any device to which my Iinvention may be applied 4and 'in other respects the terms of 8o the c laimsare to be 'given an interpretation as broad as the state of the art will warbe closed by a car door butv since such door forms no part of the present invention the .same is not shown. l show, however, at 13 an operating lever which is symbolicv of any suitable hand operated controlling mecha- 9o 'i nism whereby4 the elevator conductor con-v trols the operationor movements'of the car or any of the parts associated therewith such for instance .as thecar door or shaft gate, in any Well known orapproved manv-ner.- Said lever 13 is connected to a shaft 14 journaled as usual beneath the floor of the car and theaxisof said shaft constitutesA the `pivot around -which theflever may swing in 'the arc of a circle in either direction from 100 the normal or stopped position shown in Fig. 1.

t 15 I show an illuminator casing of` peculiar form |located conveniently at either Side Of'the doorway 11, and having an elon- 105 in the same circuit 17 the light from said llo Patented Bec.. lll, i915a Application filed. october i, i913. i serial No. 792,753.

lamps being adapted to be thrown or flashed out from its elongatdopening and 4 across ythe threshold of the 'carf and the landing at which the car is being stopped. The light being caused t flash` out as above. described serves a numberl of important purposes among which ar'e, first, to indicate not only f to the conductor but to the occupants of the .car that the car is bei-ng stopped and therelight ci -fore the conductor is'assisted in bringing., his` car precisely to the landing;.secondly, it

serves` as an indicator to the passengers lentering orleaving-the car that the car is at the landing and hence in position for transfer'of passengers; and thirdly, the light is thrown or.flashed`just where it is needed t0 ienable the p assengers to pass-,the doorway in complete safety or without stumbling or,

groping.

'In order to-eflect `the foregoing advantages Ilind it essential or desirable for the vario-us times to suit itI to the various types of cars which may be equippedtherewith,

the variety of typeshavin'g reference to differences of speed and to the space intervals which must be observed'. between the time of movement of the operating lever toveffect the stopping of the car andthe time of actual f stopping. More specifically, in the stopping of a high speedcar the operating lever must f be moved towardV stoppingv position at a.

greater distance from the landing than in a slow speed car. It is therefore important or normal position.v In-,other words, `the oper-` Vcar. f v

The circuit injthis preferred form ofthe invention, therefore, includes a pair of desirable that the switches or contacts which initiate the illumination'shall be made operative nearer the fin'al position of the ope'rating lever than inthe ca'se of a slow speed switchesor circuit breakers l'18 and 19 arranged on o-pposite sidesxof the operating lever when in mid position and adjustable toward 'or fromsaid operating lever in accordance with theV varying conditions above referred to. The location or adjustment of the switches, it'willl be understood, is inde-' pendent of the extent of movement of the operating lever in either direction from its ating lever is adapted to pass either of the iswitches when Qstarting the car, and after the operating lever passes the switches on movement to running position, therewill be- --no ccperation between the operating lever and the switches or any part of the circuit until the operatingvlever is started back and -approaches its mid position'again.

, The casing 15 is supported upon a pedestal 20 secured preferably upon the floor 2l of the car, though as to 'the particular l. means for securing the pedestal in place I do not wish to be limited. TheA means shown, however, is reliable and satisfactory.

rcuit 17 to be completed or broken at Thecasing is substantially rectangular in form and of.cons1derable height in compari- `son with its cross sectional area. The'pedestal 20 is-hollow and the circuit wires are led upwardly therethrough andthe circuit within the casing includes not only the la'mps 16 but also preferably a key switch 22l whereby the lampsmay'be extinguished when thecar. is 1left standing for any length i, of time. .The front of the casing consists of a removable plate 23, that portion of which is in front of the lamp comprises a series of transverse, parallel, downwardly inclined shutters or bailes 24 mounted in fixed posiytion at the sides of said casing. lAs shown 1n Figs. 1 and-8, said baflles are so arrangedv as to concentrate thegrays of light Aupon the threshold of the carfand the landing, and

they prevent, there-fore, any blinding effect ofthe intense light from `within the casing interfering with the expeditious transfer of the passengers. Said plate 23 is removably secured tothe front of thecasing by means of screws 25 whereby easy access may beK had to the lamps when -necessary for' inspectlon orl repai1",a'nd at the lower end of the casing is provided an openable cover 26 Y givingaccessA to the ley switcl`1-22 The 4lamps 16 may be of. any Awell known construction and each is seated in its own'socket -1-6" shown as secured in-the end of a reof one of them, therefore,`will beunderstood as being applicable to both KEach switch device in its preferred form comprises. a casing 28 adjustably related -to` the path of movement of the controller and secured in any desired-position with respect to distance from the normal position of the operating lever by any suitable means as, for instance, by clamping or binding screws 2,9 operating through the rear wall of the casing 28.' The switch proper, indicated at.30 is pivoted on a stud 31 fixedto said rearwall, said switch being adapted to oscillate in a plane subs tantially parallel to the vplane of movement of the operating lever. The -switch 30 includesA a main body portion having a pair oflaterally divergent depending portions 32 and 32', and secured to. said body-or extending upwardly therefrom o'n'the oppositeside of the pivot 31 from said depending portions is a stem 33 which carriesa peculiar bridge piece t'insulated, however, from the stem .and body by a spool-shaped insulating member `rlie members 34 and 35 are secured in place'on the stem by .means of a portions-32 of the two switches both extend on theJl operatinglever.

roperating lever is moved to start the car, it

weier screw 36 tapped into'the upper end of the vstemand a fiber Washer 37 completes the insulation between the bridge member 34: and the stem. vCircuit wires lead int'o the casing preferably from the rear through a fiber vbushing 38 and are respectively'connected to contact springs 39 and 39 with which the bridge member makes direct contact.

rlheoperating lever is provided with a pin or projection 40.-which,' while passing either switch casing, is adapted to cause oscillation of the switch by contact with one or the other'of thel depending portions 32, 32,

and therefore the operating lever will cause the switch either to make' or, break the circuit' at such;point. l With referencenowfto Figs. 2 and 3, it will be observed that when the operatinglever is ,in mid position or, at any point between the two switches, both switches will be closed and the lamps burning. In such position the two-'depending within the 'range of the projection or' pin Li0 Hence, when the will have passed `onits way a comparatively7 shortvdistance until the pin 4:0 strikes one or the other of the depending portions 32 caus ing the switch on'that side to be thrown out of engagement with the contacts 39 and 39', 'i

breaking the circuit 17 andextinguishing the light. The other switch, however, remains in closed position. ln other words, the arrangement 'is 'that at least one of the two switches is always closed.' On the returnof the operating lever to Stopping position, the'pin 40 will engage the depending. portion 32 of the switch last operated upon thereby, causing the switch to become closed,v

re'lghting the lamps. The insidefof each switch casing is preferablyliiied' throughout with. insulating fiber as shown at 4-1, and the lid 28 of such casing is secured in place by means of a lip 28a which hooks'over a fixed stud 42 at oneend, the. other end of the lid being secured preferably to the pivoty stud 31 by means of a single screw 43. Said lidalso is ,preferably provided. with lateral flanges 44 to assist in holding it in place. The construction of the depending portions 32 and 32 of the oscillatingswitches 30 and their relation to th'ejpinf() on the operating lever vare such that should either ofthe switches be tamperedl with'- malicously or otherwise, causing it to swing on its pivotv to the ,position opposite from which the controller may have left it, noyvda-mage will result. i In other words, it will be noted that each of the depending .portions is provided with yan inclined wall 32a on the outside or ,-theside remote from the-pivot 31, the effect of which is, for instance, if the operating lever shouldbe moved beyond a switch as shown at the right of Fig. 3, and before' the operating lever is returned toward stopping position some one should maliciously or inadvertently strike the lowermostdepending portion so as to cause the switchto bridge the contacts and cause the depending portion 32 to be de' pressed, the operating lever on making its next trip will simply ride against the wall 32 of the depending portion 32, Athrowing the switch momentarily out of contact. rlhe operating lever passing, however, in the same direction, will almost immediately thereafter cause the resetting of th-e switch for operation in accordance with the invention.

Having thus described my invention, li

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1,- l

1. In a device of the character set forth, an illumiuator casing, means to support the casing in upright position, a Vreiiector eX- tending from one end of the casing to the other, anelectric circuit, a pair of lamps arranged in said circuit, said lamps being secured in sockets at the opposite ends of the inside of said reflector, and a face plate for the casing serving to concentrate the rays of light from thelamps to cause the sane to iiash .downwardly in front of the casing.

L 2. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of an illuminator casing for cars, means to support-the casing in upright position, a circuit leading through the supporting means, apair of lamps arranged one above the other in said casing and connected in parallel in said circuit, a key switch withinthe casing, said casing vhaving means for concentrating all of the rays of light fromsaid lamps and causing the same to flashu downwardly across the bottom ofthe car in front of the casing, and means for automatically making and breaking the circuitthrough the lamps coincidentally with the stopping and startingof the car. 3. The combination with a car, 'of a threshold illuminator for said car having an electric lamp therein, an electric circuit for said lamp, an operating lever in said car adapted to be moved in back and vforth directions,

' a` movable switch for said circuit adapted to be thrown to one., ppsition to light said lamp and to another position to extinguish said" ,old illuminator for said car having an elec tric lamp therein, an electric circuit for said lamp, an operating lever in said car adapted to be moved in back and forth directions, a`

movable switch for said circuit adapted to be thrown to one position to light said lamp 1 and to another position to eXtinguishsaid lamp, said switch `being constructed and `ar- \ranged with 'respectto the path of movement 5 of saidoperating lever so'that when -saidoperating` lever isv moved in one directionit will 'engage said switch and throw Vthe same into its position for-lighting the lamp and when mdved in the Yother direction itwill engage said switch and throw the same into its other position for extinguishing the lamp, said switch having means' tending to'hold it 'in either of its positions into which it is thus thrown.

' 5 5. The combination with a car, of a threshold illuminator for said cai" having an electric lamp therein, an electric circuit for said i l lamp, an operating lever in lsaid car adapted to be moved in back and forth directions, a movable'switchv for said circuit adapted to be thrown to one position to light said lamp and'l to another position to extinguish said lamp, said switch being constructed and arranged with respect to the path of movement of saidoperating lever so that 4when said operating lever is. moved in one direction it williengage said switch and throw the same into its position for lighting the lamp and when inoved'in the other direction it will` 30 engage said switch` and throw the saine into its position for extinguishing the lamp, said switch being :provided with means so that in whatever position it may happen to be it.

will nevertheless be engaged bythe lever in its movement therepast and thrown into a position .corresponding to the last .direction of ino-vement of said lever.

6; The combination with a car, i of a lthreshold illuiniiiator for said cary having` 40 an electric lamp therein, Yan electric .'circuitv for said lamp, an operating lever in said car adapted to be moved in back and forth directions from a centi'al position. movable switches for said circuit one at each side of the central position of said operating lever and'each switch adapted to be'thrown to one position to light said lamp and tovanother position to extinguish said lamp, said switch beingl constructed and .a1-ranged with re- 50 spect to the path of movement of said lever so that when said lever is moved in either vdirection from its centravlpositioiiit vwill engageons of said switches and throw the same `toia 'position for extinguishing said lamprand'when returned' to its central po-A sitionfisaid' lever will engage said switch and thro-w it into a position for lighting said lamp.

7. The combination with car, of a threshold illuminator for saic car having an electric lamp therein, an electric circuit `.'for said lamp, an operating lever in said carfadapted to be moved in back and forth directions from a central position, movable switches for said circuitv one at each side of 'the .central position of said operating 'lever, each switch' adapted to be thrown to one position to 'light said lamp and to an-f,

other psition'to extinguish said lamp, said switches` being connected inK series in said circuit so that when either of said switches is n its open position said circuit is broken,

and being constructed and aii'anged-with respect to the path of movement of said operating lever so that when said lever is moved in either direction from its central position it will engage one of saidswitches and throw the saine to a position for extinguishing said lamp and when returned to its' central position said lever will iengage' said switch for vthrowing it into a position .for lighting said lamp; A

8. The combination with'a car, of a tliresli- .'amovable switch for said circuit adapted to be thrown to one position for lighting said p lamp andto anotlier'position for extinguishing said lamp, said switch having two depending portions one depending portion being always in the path of said operating leverand said lever whenfmoved in one direction being constructed to engage one de pending portion of said switch to throw the switch from the position in which it is located and to bring the other depending portion of said switch into the path of said lever ready to be engaged by said lever in its return movement.

9. The combination with a car and an operating lever therefor arranged to be moved to either side of a stopping position in or der to start said car, of a threshold illumina' tor for said car comprising an `electric lamp, an electric circuit for said lamp includingtric lamp, a single electric circuit for said,

lamp having therein two switches, one upon each side of the stopping position ,f4 said lever in the -path of movement thereof, each of said switches being constructed to remain in open position or in closed position, as

left, and being. arranged to beengaged by said lever and moved to open position as said lever moves toward actuating position and lio to be engaged again and moved into closed posltlon as sald lever moves toward lts stopping position.

movement of said lever to be engaged by said lever as it moves t'o either of its starting positions to effect, directly the opening of the corresponding 'switch and to be engaged again by said lever as it returns toward the stopping the closing of said switch.

12. rlfhe combination with a car andan 'operating lever therefor arranged to be moved 'toeither side of a stopping position in order to actuate said car, of a threshold position-to effect ,directly illuminator 'comprising an electricvlamp, a

"'fnjormally closed circuit yfor said lamp- 1ncluding two switches, one upon each side of the stopping position of' saidlever and-constructed to remain in-open position or inclosed position, as left, and means whereby the movement of said'lever pasteither of said switches toward either actuating positionv of said lever effects directly the open.-

ing of said switchand whereby the-returnv of said lever toward .its stopping'posltion effects the closing .of said switc'h.

13. The combination, with a car and an operating lever therefor arranged to be moved to either side of a` stopping position in order to start said car, of a threshold illuminator comprising'an electric lamp, a normally closed electric circuit forl said lamp including two switches, one upon each side of the stopping position of said lever in the path-of movement thereof, and coperating engaging members upon said lever and said switches constructed and arranged so that said lever by lits movementto either of its starting positions'effects directly the opening of the corresponding switch, and

by its return movement toward stopping4 position effects directly the closingof said switch.

14. The combination with a car, of 'a threshold illuminator for said car v having an electric lamp therein, an electric ,circuitH for said lamp,an operating lever m said car adapted'to be moved in back and forth directions, a movable switch for said circuit adapted to be thrown to one position Afor lighting said lamp and to anothe'rposition for extinguishing said lamp, said switch having two depending portions one depending portion being always in the path of said operating lever and said lever when movedI in one direction adapted to engage. one depending portion of said switch to throwthe switch from theposition in which'it is located and to bring the other depending portion of said switch into the path of said lever ready to be engaged by said lever i'n'its return -Imovement, and means to insure that said lever Ainits return movement will be able to V fonsaid lamp,- an` operating lever in said car adapted to be moved in back and forth directions, a movable switch for said circuit adapted to be thrown to one position for lighting said-lamp and to another position for extihguishingsaid lamp, said switch having two depending portions one' depending portion being always in the path of said operating lever and said lever when moved in one direction adaptedto engage one depending portion of said switch to thr'ow the switch from the position in which it is ,located and to bring the other del pending portion of said switchI into the path of said lever ready yto be engaged by. said lever in its return movement, and means comprising an inclined outer wallon each of said depending portions for engagement l by'said operating'lever to insure that said lever in its return movement `will be able, to engage the other depending portion of said switch and throw it into an opposite por4 ack and forth comprising `al pivoted arm-forked at its lower end 'to formtwo separated depending portions, circuit contacts adapted to be closed by the upper vportion of'said switch arm, each .of said depending portions having inclined side vwalls converging to a Ynarrow edge, pin-on said operating lever adapted to engage -an incl-ined' side wall on one of said .depending portions and throw said switch from `o'neof its positions to the other when said opera-tingl lever is moved past said switch, said pivoted switch arm at all times having oneor the other of its depending portionsin th'e path Iof vsaid operating lever with 'an inclined sidewall readyt bie engaged by the pin on saidoperating lever. 17. The combinationwith a car, of a threshold illuminat'or comprising a ver- 'tically arranged` casing having Yan elongated vertical opening facing across the threshold of said car, a plurality of lamps one above the other in said casing to throw light out from said elongated opening, and a series of downwardly inclined spaced and overlapping shutters fiXedly mounted in front of said opening so as tol throw the raysof light from said lamps in a downwardly inclined direction across said threshold.

I 18. The combination with a car, of a threshold illuminator comprising a vertically arranged casing having an elongated vertical opening facing across the threshold v0f said car, a plurality of lamps o ne above the other in said casing to throw light out from said'elongated opening, an electric circuit for said lamps, means for automatically making and breaking the circuit through said lamp coincidently with thestopping and starting ofthe car, and aseries of downf Wardly inclined spaced f and .overlapping shuttersflxedly mounted" infront of said A opening so as to throw the rays of light from said lamps in a-downwardly inclined direc- Vtion across said threshold.

19. -The combination with a car, -of a threshold illuminator comprising a vertically arranged casing having anvelongated' vertical opening facing across the threshold of said car, a plurality of lamps one above the other in said casing t'o throw light out from said elongated opening, an electric circuit for said lamps, means for automatically making and breaking the circuit through said lamp `coincidently withvthe `stopping and startingof the car, anda hand-operated switch mounted within said casing for'con two subscribing witnesses.

- jcHARLEs 'n Moons.

signed my presence of f Witnesses: v- Giro. LL BEELER,A

PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs. 

